Eriol and Sakura - The Long Way Round
by Archaeologist of Humanity
Summary: My thoughts on Eriol's opinion of his garden, the hidden Sealed Card, and the things that happen because of these things. Pairing will be Eriol and Sakura (The first one I have done in ages ) and the rating (currently) is T. It COULD go up to M...Doesn't mean it will! I might put Tomoyo with someone later on...We'll see!
1. Chapter 1

With this story, I tried to capture how Eriol would feel walking through the mansion in Tomoeda. Enjoy!

Rated: T (Could go up later on...I'll try to keep it where it stands)

[Story Begin!]

Eriol Hirragisawa wondered very slowly through the mansion formally owned by Clow Reed. He was his re-incarnation...Yet it felt nice to be here. Too be himself...To just be Eriol. Not to be anyone else...Not today...No, not ever.

He stopped walking as leaves fell from their leaves from the previous spring gently landing on his shoes. He smiled and looks into the sky above him. 'So vast and open...' Point to point there was nothing in the sky besides the colour of blue. The same colour as Eriol's eyes.

He closed his eyes as he felt the wind gently pick up around him - Steadily reminding him of the magic that he had put into the garden as well as the mansion. Subconsciously he looked at the mansion - Knowing that the 'Nameless' or 'Nothing' card was still there...Underneath his chair.

He took in a deep breath of the cold yet sharp air. The musky smell of the air going into his lungs along with his magical energy and out again as he sighed.

'I'm sorry I locked you away. You must understand that you bring nothing but darkness. I cannot have darkness on a world which has done nothing to deserve such events'

Eriol turned and opened his eyes as he carried on walking through his enormous mansion-sized garden. It had grown quite big since his death..He chuckled to himself, no, his previous self's death. One could consider that as suicide...But he didn't. No, it wasn't quite that simple for you see: He had run his course with life.

He chuckled as he sensed Sakura's magical energy flying over Tomoeda again - He was still training her without her knowing he was around. It would be VERY bad if she knew about him now...Well, to him it would be-

'Clow...Please let me out of here...'

Eriol stopped in his tracks and cast a glance back to the mansion. 'No' He thought mentally back to 'The Nothing'.

'Why? Why must it be this way?'

Eriol sighed as he turned and carried on his walk around the mansion. Things were getting complicated - From listening to her all the way through to Nakur-Whoops = Ruby Moon's arguments with Spinel Sun...It gave him a headache at the best of times. He nearly got found out in front of Sakura and the others when Nakuru had almost spilled the beans to Touya - Who had been suspicious of him almost 4 days earlier.

Sakura's older brother.

Now, there was someone who had a lot of power.

Touya Kinomoto had obviously inherited some of the magical energy through his heritage. In a rather odd-way you could consider Eriol being Sakura's dad...Or Sakura's step-dad but he was blood related.

Ack! Eriol shook his head to try and stop his NEW headache. In either case, the Kinomoto's and the magical side of the Li Clan were all related to Clow Reed. Meaning that Sakura was related to him. Something he rather enjoyed. He didn't look at Sakura like someone he wanted to fall in love with (and have children with), but he looked at her like someone who was close (Like family)...That was a beautiful thought:

Like Family.

Little did they all know - Eriol didn't have a mother or father because of one simple fact:

He had been re-incarnated.

He had defied Death and muddled with Life a little...Sacrificing one thing: Being the most powerful magician on Earth.

Yet, Fate + Destiny had forced him to take the role again though...Irritating.

He would be giving Sakura Kinomoto her final test soon. When he did though, he would make it the best test for her...A good thorough-test to make sure she was ready to take the power that he would ask her to wield. A calm, pure heart. Backed up by her loved ones (Or ones she loved).

Touya had given his power to Yue. Eriol had watched that moment with sad eyes that day. He hadn't wanted Yue to disappear but he didn't want him finding out about him. Imagine it:

Touya finds out - Then tells Sakura (Because he's like that in a lot of way's...) maybe he wouldn't have? Eriol didn't want to take that chance. Yet, Touya was STILL suspicious of him. Thank word he decided to slow his ageing process down when he choose too live near Sakura...And keep a good ol' fashioned eye on her. Otherwise, things could have been MUCH worse.

Eriol stopped and knelt down by a small plant that had a bumble-bee on it. It was looking at him - This much he knew.

"You're not like the other Human's. Most just look and go past - Why are you looking at me?"

Eriol smiled. "Simple - I'm not like the others. I care about my environment. How long have you been here?"

"Around a year"

Eriol looked shocked for about...Half a second. He regained his composure, "That's a long time for a Bumble Bee"

"I could say that about you Clow...That's if I've got my family have the history of this garden down right"

Eriol smiled even though he was impressed. "That's remarkable. You all still remember me"

"How could we not forget the person who offered us a place to live?"

Eriol chuckled with sadness. "Not for much longer though sadly"

The bee instantly was curious. "What's wrong?"

Eriol looked around the garden. "I have to go soon - My task on my successor is coming quickly. A little too quickly, but that's life for you. Always moving quickly"

The bee nodded as it flew up and (to Eriol's surprise) landed on his nose. "That's true. Ah, to heck with it, can we still live with you?"

Eriol nodded slowly. "When I get back to Tomoeda - By all means"

The bee looked at him deadly serious - As though trying to pierce through the ancient sorcerer's soul. "You're leaving?"

Eriol didn't flinch (Luckily for him - He didn't want to be stung today). "I will be. I have one more task for her, then I'm going too England for awhile, arrange a few things and then come back"

The Bumble Bee was slightly stunned. "O-kay. Lemme guess, you're going to pass things onto her? Why...Oh right-"

"The magic can't be in me forever Frank"

Bumble Bee known as Frank laughed. "Yeah, yeah. You were chosen to wield it - I guess you're fed up with it?"

"If you count..." Eriol looked up (careful of Frank who held onto his nose), "Around 2 lives then yes, I'm fed up with it"

Frank nodded slowly, teasing Eriol with the thought of a sting. "Don't" Eriol commanded him in a serious tone. "Or what?"

"Or I'll erase your family from history is what" Eriol chuckled as did Frank. They knew the other was kidding.

Frank flew into the air while Eriol rubbed the vibration from his nose. "I'll see you soon, yeah?"

Frank nodded. "Either that or my kid...You know, I named him after you?"

"What Clow?"

Frank nodded again. "Yeah, thought it'd be...Unique"

Eriol chuckled but before Frank could ask him, Eriol pointed to the floor, where a yellow flower looking object was. "You dropped your pollon"

Frank frowned. "DAMNIT! That's the fifth time!"

"Gettin' old are we?"

"Not like you, you old fossil"

Eriol laughed. "Cheeky"

Frank nodded as he picked up some of it, Eriol handed him the other part he couldn't reach by holding his hand out. "Be careful on your flight home - I hear the wind is a bit strong"

Frank turned to Eriol. "What?"

Eriol nodded his head up and as Frank looked he saw Sakura flying through the air heading straight for her home - Not knowing about them.

"You are one cheeky-ass English Sorcerer with Eastern influences Clow"

Eriol laughed again. "Yeah, less of that. Call me Eriol from now on okay?"

"Merlin, Bernard, Clow and now Eriol...You love the classy names don't you?"

Eriol shrugged his shoulders in an, 'I don't know, way. "Its not my fault I was born like this"

Frank mulled that over. "'Spose. Anyway, nice to talk - Later!"

Eriol nodded as he looked to the sky. 'I wonder if I could be with Sakura more often...Maybe...I'll have to think on that later-' He was cut short in his thoughts as Frank, who had just barely got out of the way of Nakuru, came bouncing through the garden and (neigh on) dived on him. "GAH!" Eriol yelped as she curled up next to him...After they landed on the grass that is.

"Eriol! I was hugged by Touya today! And then his sister! Isn't that wonderful!?"

Eriol sighed. "You mean you strangled Touya and then pushed Sakura against a tree so she would stop squirming Ruby?"

Akizuki Nakuru (Ruby Moon) looked at him with a frown on her face. "No! I just-" A few drops of rain caught her out off her sentence, "Huh?"

Eriol slowly stood up. "Let's get inside. How many times have I said-" Before Eriol could even so much as pat down his clothes, Spinel Sun landed on him, sending him to the floor again - This time on top of Nakuru. "What now..." He moaned.

Spinel groaned. "It was horrible! I saw Keroberos again! AND HE WAS EATING SWEETS!"

As the rain began to increase Eriol sighed. "Get off, we need to get inside"

When his two creations wouldn't listen, Eriol growled. "GET OFF!" He shouted, making them both get up with Spinel changing back into his disguise form in a bit of fear. "We can talk inside" Eriol sighed as he got up and headed inside. "Now, tell me what's been going on-"

"Kero-"

"No, Ruby was first"

"SHE'S ALWAYS FIRST"

"Not always, you get first servings at dinner!"

"SILENCE - Now, Ruby, tell me what happened or I'll let Spine-"

"Okay, so Touya was wondering around college with that Snow Rabbit-"

"Where you learn nothing..."

"What did I say Spinel?"

"Right..."

"Well, anyway..."

[Chapter End, Chapter 2 will come]


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - Interlinked Dreams on the Battlefield.

I'll be calling Eriol's home Eriol's as Clow Reed is dead and Eriol isn't...Ah to heck with it, I hope you get it! ;)

* * *

[Chapter Begin]

Sakura tossed and turned in her sleep as she went through the most horrific nightmare she had been in awhile. "No...Come back here!" She screamed as the magical powers she had condensed her screaming to only a whimper.

Kero was floating above her and could hear her screaming. "Sakura! Talk to me!" He didn't want to disturb the gentle tranquillity of the Kinomoto Household, but the way it was going? He might have too...

(Nightmare)

Sakura jumped down onto another house roof and spun around. "There's always an explanation! What's yours!" She shouted as a boy who she couldn't see the face off collided a huge staff with her own. "No explanation?" She panted. "Then feel this!" She shouted as she forced the boy off of the roof and spun, generating her wings and flying into the air in moments.

(Eriol's Mansion)

Eriol grunted in his sleep while his two creatures looked on with worry. Both Spinel Sun and Ruby Moon were concerned - The last time Clow Reed had a dream this bad was when he engaged in a battle that almost killed him. Yet, now he was Eriol, things would get even more out of control if he wasn't careful!

"Master Eriol! Talk to us!"

Eriol felt his body begin to heat up as the focus on his training was getting way...WAY out of control! He was trying to train Sakura so she wouldn't be scared in these kinds of scenario's...But it was having the opposite effect!

The real question was:-

Why?

(Nightmare)

Eriol felt the fire build into his staff as he blew the house that Sakura had been standing on only seconds previous to pieces. Shrapnel and parts of the house flew apart - Including some that almost pierced Sakura's arms even though she was quite high up. "STOP IT!" Sakura screamed but Eriol shook his head.

Raising the staff into the air, Eriol focused some of his most strongest dark energy, firing three lasers into the skies - One of which hit Sakura dead on target.

Sakura felt her wings be torched as she fell towards the ground at high speed. "Ah...ah...ahhhhhhh!" She screeched yet just before she hit the floor she felt someone grab onto her...Someone familiar.

(Kinomoto Household)

Sakura screamed both in magic and in reality as she bolted up in bed - Only to be caught in the arms of her father. "Sakura!" She heard him shout. "Sakura! Its me, Dad, calm down, its a bad dream...That's all it was...Shhhh...Calm..."

Touya was instantly by Sakura's bed side the minute he woke up. He had been watching in the nightmare unable to leave - Something to do with that new kid at her school with Glasses. He would sit down and talk to that kid...He didn't like him already but watching what happened? Now he HATED HIM. Wanting nothing more then to rip the glasses kid's throat out and use it to paint his new bike...But that wouldn't be right so he would settle for a stern word.

Sakura was in floods of tears on the other hand. She was shaking and it really hurt Kero, the fact he couldn't move and talk to them both, he knew Touya had powers and could appear in front of him...But he wasn't sure of Fujitaka so he dare not appear in front of her Dad...Especially when he was the best one to comfort her right now.

(Eriol's Mansion)

Eriol slowly rose out of his bed and looked at his creations. "Ruby and Spinel, can I help you?"

They almost face-faulted but gained their composure. "Actually, Eriol, can we help YOU?"

Eriol shook his head. "No. It was a training exercise"

"These are getting more frequent. Try not to hurt yourself or Sakura"

Eriol nodded slowly. "I'll take that into account"

"You hurt her...Didn't you?"

Ruby looked between Spinel and Eriol as Eriol's smirk reappeared. "Maybe..." Ruby groaned. "You shouldn't be hurting her! At least hurt that Chinese Gakai first!"

Eriol slowly nodded again. "Perhaps that's an idea...Now can you two give me some room?"

"Just curious, why?"

Eriol sighed. "I need a shower after that, as you can see its morning and I don't think you'll both want to see my new body naked will you?"

"As if we didn't already" Ruby smirked and Eriol chuckled. "True, but I'm not the one who wants to have intimate relations with Touya am I?" Ruby went red. "I...Well I...SHUT UP!"

Eriol laughed as he walked towards the shower room. "I have something in mind for the future anyway...Call it a passing trial"

"We'll look forward to that"

[Chapter End]


End file.
